Radiotelephone communication system



J. G. NORDAHL. 2,691,723

RADIOTELEPHONE COMMUNICATION SYSTEM 2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Dec. 28, 1951 2 Sheets-Shes??I I? /N VEN To@ J.' C5. NDRDAHL'.

A T TOPNEV Patented Oct. 12, 1954 RADLOTELEPHONE COMMUNICATION SYSTEM John G. Nordahl, Summit, N. J., assigner to Bell Telephone Laboratories, Incorporated, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application December 28, 1951, Serial No. 263,769

(Cl. Z50-6) 4 Claims. 1

This invention relates to radiant energy signaling systems and, more particularly, to selective calling equipment for use in radio telephone communication systems.

In a single channel two-Way radio telephone system having a number of customers stations, it is desirable to employ lock-out means for preventing a customer from starting his transmitter to initiate a call during periods when another customer is using the common signaling channel. Such lock-out means are, in general, designed to be released at a particular customers station in response to the transmission from the associated control, or base, station of a selective calling signal assigned to that particular customers station. Equipments for transmitting selective calling signals are well known in the art, one type being disclosed by C. N. Anderson and H. M. Pruden in an article entitled Radiotelephone system for harbor and coastal services and published on pages 245 to 253, inclusive, of the Proceedings of the Institute of Radio Engineers, volume 27, 1939; Similarly, equipments for receiving and responding to selective calling signals are also well known in the art, one type being disclosed by B. P. Cottrell in an article entitled "Selective calling for mobile telephone services and published on pages 32 to 34, inclusive, of FM and' Television, issue of January, 1948. When a single channel system is assigned for use by a large number of customers stations, the selective number capacity of the selective signal receiving equipments must be made correspondingly large. This increases their complexity` and' also their cost'. Since each customers station must be provided with selective signal receiving equipment, it can be understood that the total cost of thisy equipment in a system having a large number of customers stations amounts to a considerable sum.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide improved means for receiving and responding to selective. calling signals in a radiant energy signaling system having a large number of customers stations.

Another object of the invention is to provide improved means for preventing a customer in a multistation signal channel radio telephone system from initiating the radiation of carrier energy from his station during periods when another customer is employing the channel for i communication purposes.

These and other objects of the invention are accomplished inv a. manner that is fully described hereinafter in connection with the following dctailed description of the drawing in which:

Fig. 1 represents a single channel radio telephone system having a control station and a plurality of customers stations; and

Fig. 2 is a schematic diagram of a similar system having a larger number of customers stations.

The radio communication system shown in Fig. 1 comprises a base, or control station A and three customers stations B, C, and D. It is to be understood that the system may include more than three customers stations and that one or more of them may be carried on passenger vehicles. The control station A may be of any suitable type, such as that -disclosed by A. C.

. Peterson in an article entitled Vehicle radio telephonyv becomes a bell system practice and published on pages 137 to 141, inclusive, of the Bell Laboratories Record, issue of April, 194.7. It is equipped with a transmitting antenna TA for radiating carrier current and selective calling signals, and also With a receiving antenna RA for receiving carrier Waves transmitted from the customers stations B, C, and D. It should be noted that during an idle condition of the system, no carrier energy is radiated. It is to be understood that the control station A is further provided with any desired type of selective signal transmitting equipment, such as that disclosed in the above-mentioned article by C. N. Anderson and H. M. Pruden for transmitting two-tone selective calling signals.

As all of the customers stations may be equipped in a substantially similar manner, only the equipment at station B is shown in detail. Carrier energy from the base station A is received at the customers station B by a transmitting and receiving antenna BA. Since it may be assumed that this system is of the simplex type wherein frequency modulated carrier Waves having an assigned mean frequency are used for transmission from the base station A to the customers stations B, C, and D, and alternatively for transmission from each of the customers stations B, C, and D to the base station A, the station B is provided With a single transmitting-receiving antenna BA. Carrier energy received by the antenna BA travels over the released outer top armature of a conventional transmit-receive relay TR-to any suitable type of frequency modulation receiving circuit, such as that disclosed in Patent 2,527,617, issued October 3l, 1950, to U. S. Berger. This receiving circuit includes radio frequency input circuits I, a rst converter 2 having a rst beating oscillator 3 coupled thereto, a rst intermediate frequency amplier 4, a second converter 5 having a second beating oscillator 6 coupled thereto, a second intermediate frequency amplier 'I, a limiter circuit B having a squelch control circuit Si and a squelch relay I6 coupled thereto, and an audio output circuit II which is coupled through a transformer I2 and a potentiometer I3 to a carrier pulse selector I4. Associated with the carrier pulse selector I4 is a lter and rectier circuit I5 which is coupled to the two coils III- 42 of a tone selector I5 which is of the type disclosed in the above-mentioned article by B. P. Cottrell.

When the transmit-receive relay TR is energized by means described hereinafter, it operates its armatures to open the above-mentioned receiving circuit. A conventional transmitting circuit is now closed extending from the antenna BA over the operated outer top armature of relay TR, through a power amplier I8, a frequency multiplier I6, a modulator 26, and then to an oscillator 2I which has its frequency controlled by a quartz control 22. The operation of the bottom armature of relay TR connects ground I1 to the transmitting oscillator 2I to effect the removal of a blocking bias in a manner well known in the art.

The station B is further provided with a manually operable on-off switch 23 for controlling the application of power from a battery 24. Normally, the switch 23 is kept closed unless the customer wishes for some reason to disable his receiving circuit. When the switch 23 is closed, current from battery 24 is supplied to the heating filaments 0f the vacuum tubes in the receivingr circuit and also to a conventional vibrator power unit 26 which in turn supplies high voltage to the anodes of the vacuum tubes in the receiving circuit. Current from battery 24 also effects the lighting of a lamp 2l thereby providing a visible indication that the power has been turned on. Although the closure of switch 23 closes a p0rtion of a circuit leading to the laments of the vacuum tubes in the transmitting equipment and also to the winding of a control relay 3|, which controls the application of current from battery 32 to a dynamotor 36, this circuit is not completed at this time.

In addition to the above mentioned equipment, the station B also includes a talk lamp 28, a call lamp 26, a lockup relay 25, a telephone instrument 34, a holder 33 for holding the telephone instrument 34 during idle periods, and other equipment that is described hereinafter. The telephone instrument 34 is shown in the form of a handset having a telephone receiver 43 and a telephone transmitter 44, but any other type of telephone instrument may be used if desired. The handset 34 is provided with a conventional push-to-talk button l5 for controlling the engagement of a set of spring contacts 46 which are normally open. Although the holder 33 is shown in the form of a hook switch, any other suitable type of contact-operating holder may be used if desired.

The squelch circuit mentioned above may be of the type disclosed in the above-identified Berger patent which is controlled by the grid currents in the limiter 8 and is therefore a carrier-operated device Another type of carrieroperated squelch circuit which may be used if desired is that disclosed on page 653 of F. E. Termans Radio Engineers Handbook. If desired, it may be a noise-responsive type or a signal-to-noise ratio type squelch circuit controlled scribed hereinafter.

respectively through vacuum tubes and rectiers to operate in response to a reduction in noise or to a ratio of noise to carrier levels. It may be any suitable type which will respond to the reception of carrier energy by producing a Voltage change or current change at a point in its circuit which will effectthe energization of the squelch relay I6. Upon being energized after the on-off switch 23 has been closed, the squelch relay I6 operates its armature to connect battery 24 to the winding of a stepping magnet 4l. This energizes the stepping magnet il and causes it to operate its armature t6 which is normally held in its unoperated position by any suitable biasing means, vsuch as spring 46. One end of the armature 48 is provided with a pawl 5i adapted to engage a ratchet 52 which is mounted upon a shaft 53. Also mounted upon the shaft 53 is a switch-arm 54 having a plurality of contacts 55 associated therewith. The switch-arm 54 is connected by a conductor 56 to the secondary winding 0f the audio output transformer I2 and is provided with a restoring spring 5@ for returning it to its initial position when the selector I4 is released as is de- It is to be noted that only one of the contacts 55, namely contact A, is connected by a conductor 5l to the input of the *filter and rectifier circuit I5.

When the armature 48 is operated by the stepping magnet 4l, it actuates the pawl 5I and causes it to rotate the ratchet 52 one step thereby similarly rotating the switch-arm 54 one step and moving it from one of its contacts 55 to the next. The magnet 4l is of the slow-to-release type so that its armature M5 will remain in its operated position in response to the reception of steady carrier current and will not return to its released position until a suitable interval of time after the cessation of received carrier current. After a certain number of carrier pulses have been received, the switch-arm 54 will have been stepped around to engage its contact 55A. This closes a path from the secondary winding of the audio output transformer I2, along conductor 56, over the switchuarm 54 to contact 55A, and then along conductor 5l to the input of the lter and rectifier circuit I5. Thus, the selectors I4 and I6 may be considered to be connected in tandem. Two-tone selective calling signals may now be \transmitted from the base station A and, after being received at station B, will pass over the circuit just described to effect the energization of the coils Il I-4I of the tone selector I6.

Thus, when the operator at the control station A wishes to call the customer at station B, the operator causes carrier current to be radiated from her transmitting antenna TA. This is received at station B and effects the energization of the squelch relay I6 which. operates the carrier pulse selector I4 to move the switch-arm 54 one step as was described above. The operator at station A now interrupts the carrier current a denite number of times to produce an assigned number of carrier pulses, this number being the number of steps required to move the switch-arm 54 to its contact 55A. When this initial stationyselecting operation has been completed, the operator at station A ceases to interrupt her` carrier and allows it to remain steady. As was described above, this holds the stepping magnet 4'! energized so that the switch-arm 54 will remain on its contact 55A. With the squelch relay thus held operated, the energizing circuit of the transmit- .receive relay TR, which extends along conductors 58 and 59, is open at the relay contact at the end of. conductor 591 Consequently', the customer at station B cannotv now energize' his' transmit-ree' ceive relay" to connect histransmitti'ng circuit to-` the antennaV BA Itis to be understood' that each' of the other customers stations C` and` D have a diiferent one of the contacts' 5'5 connected to'L theirA respective lter and' rectin'e'r' circuits so that a different number or carrier pulses are' r'equired to connect their' a-udio output circuits to theinputof their respectivetonelselectors.

The operator' at the' base' station A now' causes an assigned combination of twoetone" selective callingy signals to be' radiated; fror'nher' transmit'- ting. antenna TA inthe manner'describ'ed inthe abov'eementionedr article' b'y C'. N. Anderson and M.. Pruden. Upon being received at station B, these signals are applied to thef coils' 41-4'2 for causing the tone selector i6 to rotate its code Wheel B'I. As this' particular combination of tone signals is the combination assigned to station B, thei code wheel 5| will move its contact'- pin 6:2. into engagement with a contact 63. Itis to' be understood' that each ofi the other stationsl C and D require the transmission of a different tone sig nal to effect the engager-nent' of their respective contact pins withtheir associated contacts. This closes a path from ground? B4, over thecodewheel 6 lI and'conta'ct pin 62 to the contact 6'3la1ong conductor 65, through the winding of the; lookup re'- l'ay 2c', andthen over theon-o` switch' 23t'o'battery 24. Relay 25- now becomes' energized; and operates itsa-rmatures, theI operation of the' right arma-ture closing a locking circuit for relay' 25 extending along conductor te"l and over the' top spring contact of the hook switch 33 to ground 61'. rLhe operation 0f the outer' left armature of relay 25-closes an obvious circuit for current from battery 24 to effect the lighting of thec'all lamp 29 thereby providing the customer withv a visible indication that his stationl BI has been called. The operation of the inner leftarm'at'ure of relay 2'5 connects'battery 24 along conductor 68 andi 5'8I to the winding of the' transmit-'receive relay TR to prepare it for subsequent' energiz'ation when the push-to-talk button 45 is operated as is' de-4 scribed hereinafter.

If the customer at station B` doesA not answer the call for some reason, such as being absent from his station B, the operator at station' A abandons the call by trai'ismittingl an assigned tone' pulse which acts as a clearing-out signal' in the manner described in the above-mentioned article by B. P. Cottrell to effect the release of the tone selector l5l which thereupon restores its code wheel 6| to its initial position. Finally, the operator discontinuos the radiation of carrier energy from her transmitting antenna TA.l Y This eieots the deenergization of the squelch relay I9 which releases its arma-ture to eiect the deenergization of the pulse selector relay 4-7. This perrnits the springs 49 andl he to restore the carrier pulse selector I4 to its initial condition. Due to relay 25v being locked up, the ca'll lamp 29'v will remain lighted so that, when' the customer returns to his station B, it will serve to-informhim that his station was called during his absence'. He should then call the operator at the control station A as is described hereinafter.

If the customer is present at stationi B- when the callr is initiated from the control: station' A and wishes to answer the call, he does' so by' r'emoving the telephone instrument 34 from its holder' 33. This releases the springs of thehoo'k switch'A 33which now move upwardft'oengageltheir upper contacts'. 'I'he upward movement of the top hook switch springv opens the locking circuit of relay 25. However, relay- 25- does not release its armatures at this timev as itsalternate' energizing circuit through the contact pin 621 on the code wheel 6| still remains closed. Theen'gage'- nient 0f the middle hook switch spring with its contact closes a circuit extending from battery 24y along conductor 69,. over the middle hook switch springpand then along conductor to thejun'ction point' 112. This applies current from battery 24 to the lam'ents of the' vacuum tubes in the transmitting circuit and also to the winding of the control relay 3|. Relay 3| now operates its armature to connect battery32' to the dynamotor 3U thereby starting the dynamotor 30 and causing it to apply high voltage' to the vacuum tubes in the transmitting circuit. Voltage from the dynamotor 3|) is also applied through the resistor 35 to the junction point 88 and then tothe oscillator 2|. The engagement of the bottom hookv switch spring withv itsl contact connects the telephonereceiver 43 along conductor 15 to the junction point' 86 and then through the potentiometer I34 to the secondary winding of the audio output transformer I2. The engagement of the top hook switch spring' withl its top contact connects ground 6-'1 to this top contact for' performing different functions.

For example, if a switch 82A is closed and another'switch 8|' is open, then this top' contact is connected by a conductor 76 to conductor 'l'l'le'ading to the talkv lamp' 28. This causes the talk lamp 28' tolight thereby providing thev customer at station' B with a visible indication that his' station equipment is now in the proper condition for hiin to intoy .his telephone transmitter Mend' for this speech to be radiated by his trans'- rnit'ter BA to the control station A. If both of the switches 8|' angl*` 82 are closed', the c'a'r'rier current fromstation' B will be radiated inamanner" described hereinafter'for'duplex operation of the" system'. Alternatively, if the switch'v 82 is open and thef switch' 8|/ is cl'os'ed, then the talk lamp 218 will be lightedA only when the transmitreceive relay TR i's energized and' will thereby indicate whenk the' customers' transmitting equip-V ment operating'.

Under the conditions describedV above, the customer at station has been signaled andl has picked up' his telephoneins'tru'ment 3'4 to answer tlie'oalfll. He now pushes his push-to-t'all; button 4S thereby' closing` the non-lockingl contacts 451. This connects ground 83 through the contactsl 4`6`-, along conductor'gthrough the winding of the transmit-receive relay TR, along conductors' 58 and' 68, over theY operated inner lef-t armature of relay 25, and' theny over' the closed on-oi switch 23E to battery 24. This energiaesv the transmit receive relay TR which' operates its armatures. The operationlof the' outerto'p armature of relay TR disconnects the' antenna BA from conductor Sily leading to the receiving circuit and connects it' instead: to conductor 92? leading to the transmitting circuit. The operation of the inner' top armature' of' relay TR applies ground 811iv along conductor 35' to* the junction point 8c thercblsT short-circuiting the telephone receiver so that transmitter-'noise willfnotbehcard. The operation of the bottom armature of 1 .ay TH appliesl ground H along conductor to the junction point 88. This' shortfcircuits a portion of the resistor'35 thus removing the bias voltage applied tothe transmitting oscillator 2| which thereupon proceeds to generate its'c'ar'riei" energy-L The custon'ieriatl station B may now speakinto his tele-` phonetransmitter 44 and, since the transmitter 44 lisl connected by a conductor 89 tothe modulator 28, the customers speech will modulate carrier waves generated by the oscillator 2| and this modulated carrier energy will now be radiated byl the antenna BA to the control station A. By alternatively pressingr the push-to-talk button 45 on hishandset 34 when he wishes to talk, and by releasing the button 45 when he wishes to listen, the customer at station B can communicate with the operator at the base station A on a two-way basis. f

It is to be noted that a feature of the abovedescribed circuit is that, with the switch 3| closed and the switch 82 open, the talk lamp 28 will be lighted only during periods when the push-totalk button 45 is operated. As the armatures oi the transmit-receive relay TR are operated only during these same periods, the lighting of the talk lamp28 thus serves as an indication that the customer-'s transmitting circuit is in operation. This is a desirable feature because, as is explained hereinafter, under some conditions the customers transmitting circuit may be locked out of operation and, if it were not for the extinguishing of the talk lamp 28 at this time, the customer at station B would not be aware of the lock-out condition and would be speaking into his telephone transmitter 44 under the false impression that speech was being transmitted to the base station A.

The above-mentioned lock-out condition might arise when, due to an emergency, the operator at the control station A wishes to place immediately a call to another customer even though the contact pin 62 of the tone selector at station B is now in engagement with its contact 63 and the transmitting circuit is activated. The operator at station A accomplishes this lockout effect by impressing a clearing-out tone signal upon her carrier. When this signal is received at station B, it holds the squelch relay I8 energized and causes the code wheel 6| to return to its initial position thereby disengaging the contact pin 62 from its contact 63. This opens the circuit from the winding of the lockup relay 25 along conductor 65 to ground 64 thereby eiecting the release of its armatures since its alternate circuit to ground 61 is now open due to the upward movement of the top hook switch spring. Release of the outer left armature of relay 25 extinguishes the call lamp 29 and the release of its inner left armature opens the energizing circuits of both the talk lamp 28 and the transmit-receive relay TR. Relay TR now releases its armatures with its bottom armature removing ground I1 from conductor 81 leading to the transmitting oscillator 2|, and its outer top armature disconnecting the antenna BA from the transmitting circuit. Consequently, the customer at station B cannot now radiate his carrier and is therefore effectively locked out of the system from the standpoint of transmitting signals from his station B. As was stated above, the existence of this lock-out condition is indicated to him by the extinguishing of the talk lamp 28.

Assuming that communication between stations A and B is not interrupted by a lock out, the call proceeds on a normal two-way basis. When this call is terminated, the customer at station B replaces his telephone instrument 34 upon its holder 33 thereby forcing the hook switch springs downward. This movement of the lower spring opens the path from the telephone receiver 43 to the audio output circuit. Similar movement of the middle spring opens the energizing circuit of the control relay 3| which releases its armature to stop the dynamotor 30. The downward movement of the top spring opens the path from ground 61 .to the switch B2. At the same time, the operator at station A transmits the clearing-out tone signal to effect the restoration of the tone selector I6 to its normal condition. The operator then discontinues the transmission of carrier energy from her transmitting antenna TA thereby causing the carrier pulse selector I4 to return to its initial position. Thus, the transmitting and receiving equipment at station B is restored to its normal idle condition.

If the customer at station B had been absent when the call from station A was first made and the operator at station A had then abandoned the call, the call lamp 29 would have remained lighted as was described above. Upon returning to his station B and noticing that the call lamp 29 is lit, the customer proceeds to call the operator at the base station A. I-Ie does this by removing his telephone handset 34 from the hook switch 33 which permits the hook switch springs to move upward as was stated above. The upward movement of the top spring removes ground 61 from the locking circuit of relay 25 which thereupon releases its armatures, the release of its outer left armature extinguishing the call lamp 29. If the radiant energy signaling channel is busy with another call at this time, then the squelch relay I0 will be energized and its armature will be operated. Consequently, the circuit from battery 24 along conductors 59 and 58 to the winding of relay TR will now be open. As the alternative path for energizing relay TR which extends along conductor 68 is now open at the released inner left armature of relay 25, the customer cannot now connect his antenna BA to his transmitting circuit. The customer at station B is thus locked out of transmitting his carrier and therefore cannot cause interference to the call now in progress.

If the radiant energy signaling channel is idle when the customer at station B calls back, then the squelch relay IJ will not be energized and its armature will be released. Assuming that the switch 82 is closed and the switch 8| is open, then, when the customer removes his telephoine instrument 34 fromits holder 33, a circuit will be closed from ground 61, over the top hook switch spring, over switch 82, along conductors 16 and Tl, through the talk lamp 28, along conductor 59, over the released armature of relay I0, and then over the operated on-oi switch 23 to battery 24. This causes lamp 23 to light thereby providing the customer with a visible indication that the channel is idle. From this standpoint, the lamp 28 may be considered as functioning as a channel-available indicator. Accordingly, when the customer now pushes his push-to-talk button 45 to close the contacts 4B, a path for energizing the transmitreceive relay TR. will be closed extending from battery 24', over the on-off switch 23, over the released armature of relay |0, along conductors 59 and 58, through the winding of relay TR, along conductor '|9, and thenv through they closed contacts 46 to ground 83. This starts the operation of the transmitting equipment as was described above and causes carrier energy to be radiated from the antenna BA. The customer now proceeds to speak into his telephone transmitter M and states his call number.

If the svvitch 8| is closed and kthe switch 82 is open,.the talk lamp -28 will light whenever the push-to-talk button radiated by her transmitting antenna TA. The

operator next transmits the particular carrier pulse selecting signal and selective calling tone signal which are assigned to the station B. These signals .eifectthe operation of thecarrierpulseselector I4 and the tone selector i6 at station B in the manner described above thereby energizing the lookuprelay 25 which performs the functions mentioned above. At the same time, the transmission of this carrier energy effects vthe energization of the squelch relay at the other customers stations in the system and this, in turn, locks out these stations and prevents them from interfering with the call. rlhe call now proceeds as described above. It is to be understood that the invention is not limited to a two-tone selector as a one-tone, three-tone, or any other suitable type of tone selector may be used if desired.

This selective calling system is flexible and possesses a large selective number capacity. rFhus, stations C and D could be assigned the same carrier pulse selective signal but different tone selective signals. A large number of combinations of these two types of selective calling signals are possible.

For example, in a system having a larger number of customers stations, such as the system shown in Fig. 2 the customers stations may be divided into a plurality of groups. A particular number of carrier pulses may then be assigned solely to each customers station in only one of the groups with a particular tone selective calling signal being assigned jointly to only one customers station in each of the groups. Thus, in Fig. 2, stations B, C, and D may constitute one group, stations L, M, and N a second group, stations X, Y, and Z a third group. Then three carrier pulses could be required to operate the carrier pulse selector in each or stations B, C, and D; four pulses could be assigned to operate the pulse selector at each of stations L, M, and N; and ve pulses could be designated for operating the pulse selector at each of stations X, Y, and Z. A particular tone selective signal could then be assigned to operate the tone selector at each of stations B, L, and X; a different tone signal being assigned to each of stations C, M, and Y for operating their tone selectors; and a third tone signal being assigned to operate the tone selectors at each of stations D, N, and Z. Consequently, by employing only three different carrier pulse selective signals and only three different tone slective signals, it is possible to operate the tandem selectors and to light the call lamp at any one of the nine customers stations. Therefore, this selective calling method may be applied to a system comprising hundreds of customers stations.

The invention is not limited to use in a single channel system as it may be employed with advantage in multichannel radiant energy signaling systems. It is also not limited to systems operating on a simplex basis but may be used in full duplex or half-duplex systems. In fact, the equipment at the customers station B shown in Fig. l may be readily converted for operation on a full duplex basis. This can be accomplished by omitting the two top armatures of the transmit-receive relay TR. and by connecting the receiver lead 9| and the .transmitter lead 92 to the antenna BA through suitable lter networks. `rEhe push-tovtalkbutton 45 should also be omitted and the contacts 46 should be permanently closed.v In 'addition, both of the switches 8i and 32 should be closed as was stated above. ri'he operation of the station is substantially the same as ydescribed above except that, when the customer now ansWers a call, his transmitting circuit is energized when he removes the handset 34 from the hook switch 33. The talk lamp"28 will now light when relay TR. is energized.4 However, if desired, the lamp 2t* may be connected directly to ground instead of to the switches .3| and 82 for causing it to function as a service-available indicator in the manner described above.

|lhis particular embodiment of the invention has been described `in order to explain the principles and features ofvoperation of the invention. It is to be understood 'that the invention'is not limited to the specific circuit construction shown in the drawing as various modication'sniay be made Without exceeding the scope of the invention which is to be limited only by the claims appended hereto.

What is claimed is:

1. A radiant energy signaling system comprising in combination a iirst signaling station having radiating means for radiating pulses of carrier current and tone selective calling signals, a second signaling station having receiving means for receiving said carrier pulses and tone signals, said second signaling station also having a transmitting circuit for producing and radiating carrier energy, a control circuit for alternatively activating and deactivating said transmitting circuit, a tone selective signal receiving device for normally disabling said control circuit, said device being adapted to enable said control circuit in response to the application to said device of an assigned tone selective calling signal, said -device being normally disabled, and a carrier pulse selector responsive to the reception of an assigned number of carrier pulses for enabling said tone selective signal receiving device, said tone selective signal receiving device being enabled by said carrier pulse selector only after the entire assigned number of carrier pulses have been received.

2. A radiant energy signaling system `comprising in combination a first signaling station having radiating means for radiating pulses of carrier current and. tone selective calling signals, a second signaling station having receiving means for receiving said carrier pulses and tone signals, said second station also having call indicating equipment, operating means for operating said equipment, said operating means being responsive to the reception by said receiving means of an. assigned tone selective calling signal, and `conditioning means for limiting the response of said operating means to only those assigned tone signals which have been preceded by an assigned number of carrier pulses.

3. A radiant energy signaling system comprising in combination a first signaling station having radiating means for radiating pulses 0f carrier current and vtone selective calling signals, a second signaling station having a receiving circuit for receiving said carrier pulses and tone signals, normally deactivated call receiving equipment at said second station, a tone selector at said second station for activating said call receiving equipment in response to the application to said selector of an assigned tone selective calling signal, said tone selector being normally uncoupled from said receiving circuit, and a pulse selector coupled to said receiving circuit for coupling said tone selector to said receiving circuit, said pulse selector being responsive to the reception by said receiving circuit of an assigned number of said 4carrier pulses.

4. A radiant energy communication system having radiating means for radiating both carrier current and selective calling signals, said system comprising a plurality of groups of radi- .ant energy communication stations, each of the stations in each of said groups of stations having a call indicator, a first normally open circuit for energizing said indicator, an electroresponsive instrumentality for closing said first circuit, a second normally open circuit for energizing said instrumentality, a rst device responsive to the radiation of a preassigned selective calling signal for 4closing said second circuit, a third normally open circuit for operating said first device, and a second device responsive to the radi-ation of a preassigned number of pulses of carrier current for closing said third circuit, said preassigned selective calling signal being assigned jointly to only one station in each of said groups of stations, and said preassigned number of carrier pulses being assigned solely to only one group of said groups of stations.

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